Sassy Scotty Chicken Salad (Chicken Salad Chick Copycat)

This copycat Chicken Salad Chick Sassy Scotty recipe is super simple to make and tastes just like the version from the restaurant. Studded with crispy bacon bits and Cheddar cheese, the creamy Ranch dressing-flavored chicken salad is something I find myself craving a lot.

Since the Chicken Salad Chick restaurant is a hike from my house, (and in an effort to reduce eating out), I've come up with what I think is pretty close to the original Sassy Scotty chicken salad recipe. Serve it with crackers, over a bed of lettuce, or on your favorite bread.

The great thing about chicken salad is that it's great year-round. It's perfect for potlucks, for meal planning, or for a quick lunch. I absolutely love a salad trio: a scoop of chicken salad, egg salad, and potato salad or bean salad served over greens with a simple vinaigrette. It's a little bit of everything on a plate (and perfect for me since I'm often indecisive.)

Need some more lunch-y salad ideas? Be sure to check out my Carolina Caviar recipe. It's essentially a bean salad that would be a great addition to a salad plate. My Harvest Grain Bowl is also a great lunch option.

I've also created a ton of salad recipes for Yummly, including Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almonds which would be a great partner to this Chicken Salad Chick's Sassy Scotty recipe. Some other lunch salads that I love are my Egg Salad with Fresh Herbs, Macaroni Salad, White Bean and Lemon Salad, and Broccoli Salad with Bacon. (Can you tell I'm a salad-loving gal?)

Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s gather the following ingredients we need to make this yummy chicken salad recipe.

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• bacon
• mayonnaise (I like Duke's mayonnaise)
• celery
• ranch dressing mix
• Cheddar cheese
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get cooking! Here's the step-by-step process:

First, cook the chicken breasts. Place the cooked chicken in a food processor and pulse until shredded.

Next, cook the strips of bacon in a skillet until browned and crisp. Remove to a plate and finely chop or crumble.

Then, stir together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix.

Finally, combine the chicken, bacon, mayonnaise mixture, celery, and cheese in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Substitutions

Need to make some ingredient changes? Here are some of my suggested substitutions:

• Chicken - instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cook 1 ½ lb tenderloins (chicken tenders) instead. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken if you don't feel like cooking the chicken.
• Ranch - out of ranch dressing mix? Add some garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and dried parsley to the creamy mayo instead.
• Cheese - feel free to use another cheese besides Cheddar. Smoked gouda or Swiss are great alternatives.

Variations

Here are some more ways to change up this recipe:

• Spicy Chicken Salad- add a little cayenne pepper to the creamy mayo mixture to give this recipe a little kick.
• Crunchy Nuts - add your favorite chopped toasted nuts to the chicken mixture for some additional texture. I love pecans.
• Buffalo - add a little buffalo wing sauce to make this chicken salad like the Buffalo Barclay recipe version.

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

• measuring spoons
• cast-iron skillet
• metal tongs
• dry measuring cups
• small bowl
• large mixing bowl
• rimmed baking sheet
• food processor

Storage

Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I don't recommend freezing any leftovers.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Cook the chicken to a minimum temperature of 165°F.
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.